TA arrested on theft charges

The TA worked in the Department of German and Russian Studies.

By Juana Summers

Published Oct. 16, 2007

A teaching assistant in the Department of German and Russian Studies was arrested on suspicion of stealing laptops owned by the university, according to the MU Police Department.

According to Missouri court documents, Marina Somers was arrested by the MUPD on suspicion of theft. Because of the value of the objects stolen, the charge is a felony.

On Oct. 10, officers from the MUPD were dispatched to the General Classroom Building on a report of larceny. At the time, it was reported that 14 laptops were missing from the building, where the German and Russian Studies Department is located, MU police Capt. Brian Weimer said.

"We recovered 10 of the 16 (laptops) that were reported taken," Weimer said.

Weimer said he could not comment on further details of the case, as the incident is still under investigation.

According to the probable cause statement received, the computers were taken to the Family Pawn shop in Columbia. The statement stated that video and receipt information from the pawn shop identified Somers.

Somers admitted to stealing 10 of the 14 missing computers, according to the statement.

Prior to her arrest on suspicion of theft, Somers was on two years of unsupervised probation following an arrest on suspicion of drunk driving and having an excessive blood alcohol content.

MU spokesman Christian Basi said teaching assistants for various academic departments do not undergo background checks.

"We are currently looking into the possibility of doing some kind of a background check," he said. "But that is something we have been looking into for a long time. This case has not spurred that."

Somers is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 11.